Refill dispensing wrapper



W. H. WEST REFILL DISPENSING WRAPPER Filed Aug. 17, 1957 A TTORNEYI May 16, 1939.

Patented May 16, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE REFILL DISPENSING WRAPPER Application August 17, 1937, Serial No. 159,506

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a package of interleaved sheets of toilet paper, paper towels, and like articles of manufacture, and especially to a wrapper for a package of interleaved sheets, which wrapper is composed of a single piece of material and functions as a starter for the lowermost sheet in the package when the package is placed in a dispensing cabinet without necessitating any change in the normal folded position of the lowermost sheet.

Interfolded toilet tissue is primarily designed for the purpose of accomplishing a more sanitary method of dispensing toilet tissue in lavatories available for public use. For proper dispensing, the sheets must be placed in a cabinet having a slot in the lower surface. This naturally isolates all but the protruding sheet, from the potential dangers of dust, dirt, or diseased hands.

The method of interleaving the sheets of tissue provides a means to refill the cabinet by interleaving the first sheet of a new package with the top sheet of the remaining supply, thus providing a continuous service. Theoretically, this is a tatisfactory method; however, in actual prac tice, it is at best a very awkward procedure. The necessity of interleaving sheets of flimsy lightweight tissue, without considerable deftness and patience, is often the underlying cause of spilling the contents of a refill package on the floor, thus causing loss and considerable annoyance.

Consider the problem of a busy janitor servicing the toilet tissue cabinets during his tour of duty. When refills are needed, the awkwardness of interleaving tissue with tissue often causes ruin of the new package by spilling it on the floor.

A stack of interfolded toilet tissue with the wrapper removed is a frail and delicate parcel. Danger of spilling often leads to the temptation and costly practice of removing and destroying the supply which remains in the cabinet. This does save time and annoyance for the janitor but is costly to those providing the toilet tissue service. If, however, the janitor follows the customary and prescribed method of refilling, it costs the employer the janitors time for this slow refill procedure in addition to the possible loss of an entire package being ruined by spilling. If the package is spilled, the janitors time is increased materially to clean up the mess and get another package in the cabinet.

The object of the present invention is to generally improve and simplify the construction and operation of wrappers of the character described; to provide a wrapper which overcomes the difficulties and objections heretofore referred to; to

provide a wrapper which simplifies the refilling of dispensing cabinets with interleaved sheets, and which automatically starts dispensing of the lowermost sheet of a new package; and further, to provide a Wrapper which promotes sanitation and ease of handling, and which materially reduces the time and care heretofore required when refilling dispensing cabinets.

A further object of the invention is to provide a wraper composed of a single sheet of material and covering substantially the entire surfaces of the top, bottom and sides of a stack of interleaved tissue and having overlapped ends secured together fiat against the bottom of the stack by means which also connects to the wrapper the lowermost sheet of the stack while the same is in its normal folded position whereby when the wraper is pulled from the cap it will Withdraw the lowermost sheet of the stack and leave the stack with the second sheet of the same projecting from the cabinet and the stack in condition for removal of the sheets thereof in the customary manner, one terminal of the material of the wrapper being extended beyond the attached portions thereof and forming a tab which projects through the slot in the bottom of the cabinet to enable the wrapper and the lowermost sheet of the stack to be readily removed from the cabinet.

The wrapper is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a central vertical section of a standard form of dispensing cabinet, showing a refill package placed therein;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the refill dispensing wrapper;

Fig. 3 is a perspective View showing the wrapper applied to a package of toilet tissue;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing all but the lowermost sheet of toilet tissue removed from the wraper; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross section of the lower end of a package of toilet tissue showing the manner in which the sheets are interfolded and also the manner in which the wrapper is connected to the lowermost sheet of tissue.

Referring to the drawing in detail, and particularly to Figs. 2 to 5 inclusive, A indicates in general a package of interleaved sheets of toilet tissue, and B a wrapper completely surrounding the same. The wrapper consists of a piece of paper having a width substantially the same as the tissue it encloses, and a length sufficient to completely surround the package of tissue, with enough left over to permit an overlap such .instance the type disclosed in Fig. 1.

as indicated at 2, and in addition thereto, a projecting lip or tab 3. The wrapper may be provided with a perforated or weakened tear line 4 which extends crosswise thereof, and it is also provided at one end with one or more punched holes or openings 5, the purpose of which will hereinafter appear.

The manner of applying the wrapper is to place a stack of interfolded sheets at the approximate center of the wrapper, then to bring the perforated end of the wrapper up one side of the stack of sheets and across the top thereof. An adhesive material is then applied toapproximately half the area of the perforated end of the wrapper, which covers the'top surface or end of the package, and the opposite end of the wrapper is then brought up over'the other side of the package and over the top, and is pressed against the adhesive thereby completing the application of the wrapper, or banding of the package. With a wrapper applied in this manner, adhesive will pass through the perforations, and as such will be applied to-the surface of. the lowermost sheet'of tissue in the package, and when the tab or lip end of the wrapper is folded over and pressed against the adhesive, the lowermost sheet of tissue will adhere to the wrapper.

In actual practice, a package of toilet tissue wrapped in the manner described may be placed in any suitable form of dispensing cabinet, for

This cabinet consists of a back plate C which may be secured to a wall or other suitable support.

"Hinged to the lower end thereof as at l is a cover consisting of a bottom 8, a front panel 9 and a top cover 10, said cover being provided with a lock ll whereby it may be secured against the back panel section C. The cover also includes end sections 12, so as to'form a complete enclosure for the package when inserted. In addition thereto, a dispensing slot or opening is formed in the bottom section as shown at M, to permit removal of the sheets one by one. To refill a cabinet of this character, it is only necessary to open the lock II and to tilt the cover section about the hinge 1 towards a horizontal position. The janitor or other attendant will then take a package such as shown in Fig. 3 and place it in the cabinet on top of whatever paper or tissue may be-remainingtherein,for instance, that indicated at l5. In doing so, he will place the tab or lip 3 of the package in under the uppermostsheet as shown at 1'6, and he will next run the thumb nail, or other suitable instrument, across the tear line-4, soas to completely sever the wrapper. Thereafter, he merely closes the cabinet and dispensing will take place in the usual manner until the lowermost sheet of that portion shown at I5 is'removed. -When this is removed, the tab 3 will be'pulled out through the dispensing opening, and when a pull is exerted thereon, the entire wrapper will be pulled out of the opening, and with it the lowermost sheet of the package, as this sheet adheres to'the wrapper due to the glue or adhesive which has passed through the perforations 5. Thereafter the dispensing will again continue in the usual manner.

The wrapper maybe made of any suitable grade of paper, and theperforations indicated at 5 may be round, oblong, or of a character most suitable for the purpose sought. Consideringthe possibility of the wrapper being disposed ofin the'lavatory, it isintended that a very :absorbent grade I or typeof paper be used in manufacturing the wrapper. Paper normally contains a certain amount of sizing and other substances to bind the fibers together and to retard the disintegrating effect of moisture. It is intended in this instance that a grade of paper be used that has a substantially lesser amount of such moisture-resisting content, and possibly the substitution of such other chemical or compound'as would impart sufficient dry strength to the wrapper, and at the same time offer minimum resistance to penetration by moisture such as water.

The refill dispensing wrapper here disclosed increases sanitary advantages in that it permits the placing of an entire package in the cabinet without removing the wrapper. By this method the possibility of spilling the contents of'the package is eliminated, and so is the possibility of the janitors hands contacting the supply of tissue therein. The wrapper, as already stated, has formed thereon an integral lip or tab which is-inserted in under the topmost sheet of the remaining supply, and. as the tab is of a substantially heavier basis weight of paper, that is, heavier and less-pliable, it makes interleaving of the new and the remaining supply comparatively simple, and obviatesrthe temptation to discard the remaining supply in the cabinet. Likewise it is obviously a more -.convenient and faster method of refilling a cabinet, hence reducing the time required for the janitor to refill the cabinets, and avoiding waste.

While a wrapper is preferred which readily disintegrates in water, obviously any suitable paper may be used, and while this and other features of the invention have been more or less specifically described and illustrated, Inevertheless wish it understood that changes may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described and illustrated my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. Apackage of paper composed of interfolded sheets of paper arranged in stack formation,

and Ya wrapper surrounding the package, said wrapper composed of a single sheet of material and having overlapping ends secured with relation to each other by an adhesive, one end of the wrapper terminating-in a.flexible,-interleavable .tab and the other end being perforated to permit the adhesivewhen applied to pass through the perforations and thereby secure the lowermost sheet in the package to the wrapper.

2. A package of paper composed of interfolded sheets of paper arranged in stackformation, and a wrapper surrounding the package, said wrapper composed of a singlesheetofmaterial and having overlapping ends secured with relation to each other by an adhesive one end of the wrapper terminating in a tab-and the other end being perforated to permit the adhesive when applied to-passthrough theperforations. and thereby secure the lowermost sheet in the package to the wrapper while the lowermost .sheet of the stack is in its normal folded position, and said wrapperhaving a weakened tearline extending crosswise thereof.

.3. Apackage .of paper composed .of interfolded sheets of paper arranged. in stack formation, and I a wrapper surrounding the package, said wrapper being composed .of asingle sheet of .material and'having the ends of the wrapper securedto- .gether in overlapping contacting relation, .one

end of-the wrapperbeing freeand flexible-and forming an interleavable tab and the other end being secured to the lowermost sheet in the package.

4. A package of paper for use in dispensing cabinets of the type having a slot in its bottom through which sheets of paper are withdrawn, said package comprising a series of interfolded sheets of paper arranged in stack formation, and a Wrapper surrounding the package, said wrapper being composed of a single sheet of material and having its ends secured together in overlapping contacting relation, one end of the wrapper being free and flexible and forming an interleavable tab and the other end being secured to the lowermost sheet in the package while said lowermost sheet is in its normal folded position, and said tab being adapted to be projected through the slot in the bottom of the cabinet or interleaved with the topmost sheet of paper remaining in the cabinet.

5. A package of paper for use in dispensing cabinets of the type having a slot in its bottom through which sheets of paper are withdrawn, said package comprising a series of interfolded sheets of paper arranged in stack formation, and a wrapper surrounding the package, said wrapper being composed of a single sheet of material having its ends secured together in overlapping contacting relation, one end of the wrapper being free and flexible and forming an interleavable tab and the other end being secured to the lowermost sheet in the package, said tab being adapted to be projected through the slot in the bottom of the cabinet or interleaved with the tcpmost sheet of paper remaining in the cabinet, and said wrapper having a weakened tear line extending crosswise thereof which is torn after the package is placed in the cabinet.

6. A package of paper composed of folded sheets of paper arranged in stack formation, and a wrapper surrounding the package, said Wrapper being composed of a single sheet of material and having its ends secured together in overlapping contacting relation, one end of the wrapper being free and flexible and forming an interleavable tab and the other end being secured to the lowermost sheet in the package, said wrapper being made of water-soluble paper.

7. A package of paper composed of interfolded sheets of paper arranged in stack formation, and a wrapper surrounding the package, said wrapper being composed of a single sheet of material and having its ends secured together in overlapping contacting relation, one end of the wrapper being free and flexible and forming an interleavable tab and the other end being secured to the lowermost sheet in the package, said wrapper being made of heavier paper than the sheets which it encloses.

WILFRED H. WEST. 

